At one time or another, every geek has owned at least one Kensingtonproduct considering Kensington has been around for twenty-five yearsand now have an inventory of over three hundred computer accessoryproducts. Kensington creates products that can be categorized into sixdivisions: “power it”, “control it”, “carry it”, “secure it”, “connectit” and “play it”. The Geeks have been testing one of their “carry it”products over the past couple of weeks called the Saddlebag Ultra computer case. If you are looking for a new laptop case, you should check out our review.
Since Kensington was founded twenty-five years ago, their product line has expanded from the System Saver, a combined cooling fan and surge protector that helped extend the life of AppleIIs, to more than three hundred computer accessory products currently.Kensington products have filled niches and solved products at home, inthe office or for during travel. Kensington Computer ProductsGroup, headquartered in Redwood Shores, California, is the technologydivision of ACCO Brands Company (NYSE:ABD), a world leader in brandedoffice products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion and productsmarketed in more than 100 countries across the globe.
The Saddlebag Ultra is a Messenger style laptop carrying case whichis more of a casual looking laptop bag with a full fold over flapopening, but has hideaway backpack straps that convert the case into abackpack. Weighing in at 2.5 pounds, the outer case dimensions are14.25?L X 16.5?H X 6.5?W and the internal notebook compartmentdimensions are 12.5?L X 13.5?H X 1.85?W. The bag we received was allblack, but the Saddlebag Ultra comes in blue as well. Kensington’sSaddlebag Ultra is stylish, especially if you are looking for aMessenger style bag with some room.
The bag’s exterior includes quite a few pockets and zippers. Thereis a mesh side pocket for a digital camera or water bottle. Also, thebag has two outside pockets, one that closes with a zipper and one thatcloses with velco. The velcro pocket fits tickets or smaller mobiledevices such as cell phones or an iPod. The outside zippered pocketprovides a large thin pocket for storage. There is also a zipperedreach-through that provides access to the internal organizer. Thezipper and pouch in the back of the case are where the hideawaybackpack straps are stored.
By unbuckling and opening the large flap, the internal organizer anda large pouch are revealed. A protected and padded compartment with avelcro strap and the main pocket which expands for at-a-glance view offiles make up the large pouch. I was able to carry two laptops withease, one in the padded compartment and one in the main pocket.Typically though, I carried a Dell Latitude D810 with a 15.4?widescreen laptop in the padded compartment and a notepad or two,several magazine and various other papers in the main pocket. Theinternal compartment has an inner and outer portion! The outer portionhas a couple of pen holders, a mesh pocket which holds my Google laptop mouse, a small zippered compartment which stores my USB flash drivesand a slightly larger pocket which holds some smaller notepads. Insidethe internal organizer there is a large zippered pouch, three more penholders, a small pouch which holds quite a few business cards and fivemore small pouches.
The number of pouches and pockets in the Saddlebag Ultra is amazing.I don’t even have enough computer accessories and gizmos to fill allthe pockets!
Kensington’s Saddlebag Ultra provides flexibility in how you carrythe bag as it can convert and be carried in four different ways: alonger messenger strap that goes across the neck, a shorter strap thatgoes off the shoulder, a handle on the top of the bag and a backpackusing the hideaway backpack straps.
Finally, Kensington offers a Lifetime Warranty for their SaddleBag Ultra laptop case.
At one time or another, every geek has owned at least one Kensingtonproduct considering Kensington has been around for twenty-five yearsand now have an inventory of over three hundred computer 
